Born of Water, Into Fire
by Alice Prince
Summary: Two choices made by two people changed the lives of two young benders forever. Set in the past- specifically, Avatar Kioshi's time.


NOTE: Hi everyone! Here's another story for you- Avatar style!

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As the daughter of the chief, young Mizuki had an obligation to attend this banquet. This one was a doubly important one, though the public didn't know it- this was the announcement of the new avatar, Kioshi. Actually, there was something about it that her father had chosen not to tell her. She and Chief Dai-Lan had always been very close. Yuu-Jun, her mother, loved the both of them with all her heart.

Mizuki was in her room. Her attendant, Xiu, braided Mizuki's long brown hair. In silence, Xiu attached Mizuki's Mark of Mastery, a blue arm band with a wave pattern woven into it. Since she got it two years ago, Mizuki had told Xiu multiple times, but she had insisted. In the end, Mizuki decided to let Xiu have her way.

As was custom, once a water bender became a master, the Mark was also woven into their coat sleeves. Mizuki remembered the ceremony well- her parents had practically glowed with pride. She smiled.

Mizuki put her coat on over her traditional garb and walked out of the house onto the walkways. The Northern Water Tribe really _was _beautiful, especially during the day. The sunlight reflected off of the buildings and shined white; the buildings were made of a special kind of ice.

She entered the Meeting Hall. Most of the tribe had already arrived. Mizuki took her place at the table directly below the High Table, as was to be expected of one of the masters. It wasn't long before the rest of the tribe had arrived.

Dai-Lan stood up. "I trust you all know, or at least suspect, why I've gathered you all here today." He paused, giving himself enough time to glance at individual members of the tribe, pausing at the masters' table. "It is our purpose here to announce the identity of the Water Master." Muttering. "I will go and call the Elders here." He whistled. The tribe waited with bated breath.

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"And again!" The young man and his sister did the firebending form again. Sweat dripped from their brows. "Power in firebending comes from the breath! Again!" They did it again and did it perfectly. "Enough!" The trainer dismissed Haku and Kimiko.

Haku and Kimiko were the crowned prince and princess of the Fire Nation. As they walked through the palace, servants gave them respectful bows. They went into their rooms and a half hour later, they came out. They headed immediately for the Great Hall, where the announcement of Avatar Kioshi's Fire Master would take place.

They sat down. Haku leaned to someone- he didn't know who. "The question is, does anyone care?"

"Maybe _you_ don't, Haku," said the girl, a newly appointed master, "but the rest of us do."

Fire Lord Chen sat at the front of the room, masked by flickering fire. He spoke fairly quietly, but he had the kind of voice that oozed power, made you listen. Basically, it was the kind of voice that every teacher wants. He opened a scroll and read from it. "It has been decided that the Fire Master to Avatar Kioshi will be Kimiko, crowned princess of the Fire Nation." The other masters cheered as Kimiko stood up. She walked to her father and accepted a second scroll. "She will depart for the Earth Kingdom in the new week, which is in two days," concluded the Fire Lord.

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Back in the Northern Water Tribe's Meeting Hall, everyone was sitting tensely, waiting for something.

The sound of a drum. And again. And once more.

The three village elders appeared at the entrance of the room, facing Dai-Lan and the High Table. Everyone rose as if in a trance. The drum sounded rhythmically- DOON! DOON! DOON! With every pound of the drum, the elders took another step forward.

In addition to being master benders themselves, the elders, two fighters and one healer who also fought, were able to communicate with the elders of the other three nations.

They were halfway down the hall. The elder in the middle, a female who fought and healed, took a small box from her robes. She held it in her hands. Together, the three elders continued their procession. They reached the front and stopped walking. The drums stopped as well.

Dai-Lan walked to the front. He knelt before the female elder.

She held out the box. "Father of the Northern Tribe, as is our ancient duty, we have conferred with the other nations. We are proud to have received the information contained within this box. Do you, on behalf of the new master, accept it?"

"I do accept, as is my own ancient duty as father of this tribe."

"Rise, then, and retrieve the contents of this box on behalf of the new master."

Dai-Lan rose. As he did, the elder opened the box. When Dai-Lan was fully upright, the box was fully open. Dai-Lan picked up the two scrolls that were inside. He turned around and sat back at the High Table. The elders followed him and sat at their customary places. Dai-Lan stood at the center of the table. He set one scroll down and opened the other. He read from it, "Of the many fine candidates, the elders have made their choice." He took a deep breath. "It has been decided that the master of water to Avatar Kioshi shall be Mizuki, daughter of the chief." Everyone clapped and cheered as Mizuki rose and walked to the High Table to retrieve her scroll. "Sh-she will depart for the Earth Kingdom at the start of the new week," finished Dai-Lan.

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It was late at night, long after everyone else had gone to bed. Dulee, one of the male elders, sat at his desk alone, trying to keep himself occupied. There was a knock on his door. He got up and answered it. One of the other masters, an older girl by the name of Tian, came in.

Tian was a quiet girl, but that quiet exterior was a mask for a sinister personality. She put on a quiet, demure face, but she was a schemer, always out to get anyone she resented. She had always been a jealous person, and it didn't help things that Mizuki outshined Tian in many aspects of waterbending. Tian hated Mizuki from their first days in class together on.

The elder turned. "Good evening." He looked frazzled.

"I can tell. You don't want Mizuki to be the master," began Tian. Dulee nodded. "So we frame her. I put a water scroll in her room and we accuse her. As you know, theft is punishable by a choice of death or expulsion." Dulee nodded again. "She goes to trial and poof! She's gone!"

"You think she'll choose death over expulsion?"

"Everybody's got pride," said Tian as she held out her hand.

Dulee shook it.

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Two days later, the evidence brought forth against Mizuki was good- irrefutable, even. Trials moved fast here because there were no lawyers, and no legal talk. Each party made their case, and the judge made the final decision. Except when it came to high profile cases, like murder.

_I never thought I'd ever have to say this, but the evidence against her is too concrete._ "I find Mizuki, chief's daughter and Water Master to the avatar guilty of the crime of theft against Master Tian." In the audience, Dai-Lan and Yuu-Jun were stunned. Yuu-Jun cried silently next to the stoic Dai-Lan. "Mizuki, do you know your choice of punishment?"

Mizuki stood up and fearlessly looked the judge in the eye. "I do, Elder."

"Then choose."

Mizuki paused. "I choose expulsion."

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Back in his bedroom in the Fire Nation capital, Haku made his decision. After his sister's appointment, he'd been debating on whether or not to run away with Kimiko. The two'd always been close, despite his womanizing, indifferent attitude. They were even close by birth- Haku was fifteen minutes older than Kimiko, a fact that he loved to stress.

He packed his bag, which didn't contain much, threw it over his shoulder, and called his dragon Bain. Bain had originally belonged to Haku's grandfather, who passed it to Chen. When Chen didn't need Bain anymore, he passed him along to Haku. Kimiko had her own dragon, but the dragon wasn't hatched yet. Because of that, Kimiko was going to take a ship to the Earth Kingdom and travel on foot until she reached their chosen rendezvous point- the city of Omashu.

_Yes? _asked Bain.

_Hold still._ Haku climbed onto his back. _Follow Kimi's ship!_

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NOTE: Let me know if this chapter was a little rushed. First chapters tend to be fast for me, because I'm getting used to the framework of the story.


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